Rail drill



May 26, 1959 Flled Nov 19 1956 H. G. MILLER 2,887,908

RAIL DRILL 3 Sheets-Sheet l J far/251.9

. May 1959 RAIL DRILL Filed Nov. 19, 1956 8 Sheets-Shee t 2 H. G. MILLE 2,887,908

7 KM, M7

May 26, 1959 H. G. MILLER RA'IL DRILL Filed Nov. 19, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1727/; 712 01 from 672i a M, 64/) M 5' 742"; orrze y s United States Patent 1.

RAIL DRILL Harold G. Miller, Racine, Wis., assignor to Racine Hydraulics and Machinery, Inc., a corporation of Wisconsm Application November 19, 1956, Serial No. 622,929 7 Claims. (Cl. 77-11) This invention relates to drills and more particularly to drills of the type commonly referred to as rail drills, for use in drilling holes in the webs of rails of railroad tracks.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a new and improved rail drill of the character described including novel means for clamping the drill to a rail preparatory to drilling.

Another object is to provide a new and improved clamping mechanism for positively clamping a rail drill to a rail. I

It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved rail drill clamping mechanism for positively clamping the drill to a rail and which is quickly releasable to free the drill for removal or repositioning relative to the rail.

A further object is to provide a new and improved rail drill clamping mechanism including a vertically disposed clamping bar for engaging the rail in opposition to the drill bit, and means mounting the clamping bar so that it may be moved to a generally horizontal outof-the-way position, when released, to permit withdrawal of the drill bit and removal of the drill from its mounted position on a rail.

Another object is to provide a new and improved rail drill including a frame member supporting a drill head and adapted to rest on the top of a rail, and mechanism for clamping the frame member to the rail including a vertically disposed clamping bar engageable with the frame member above the rail and engageable with the rail below its top to securely hold the drill head during operation against the tendency of the drill head to rise and back away from the rail.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rail drill embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front end elevational view of the rail drill illustrated in Fig. 1, taken from the left end of the drill as viewed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the drill illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, taken at about the line 33 of Fig. 2, with parts including the drive motor omitted, and partly in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the drill at a smaller scale.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, as illustrated, the rail drill includes a'base or frame member 110, a framework cessible for manual operation in order to adjust the elevagenerally designated 11 vertically adjustable on the frame member 10, vertically adjustable ground engaging supports 12 attached to the framework, handles 13 and 14 on the framework, a drill head or housing generally designated 16 horizontally slidable on the framework, and a clamping mechanism generally designated 17 for clamping the frame member 10 securely to a rail such as that illustrated at 18. The rail is of a conventional type and includes ball 18a, web 1812, and base 180.

The base or frame member 10 when mounted, as illustrated, is vertically disposed and is elongated in the direction of the length of the rail 18. It comprises a generally flat elongated base leg 20 (Figs. 2 and 4) having an integral central widened post section 21 and, spaced from the central section 21, upstanding end post sections 22. The central post section 21 is connected to each of the end post sections 22 by integral brace members 23. Adjacent opposite ends of the base leg 20, it is provided with rotatably mounted rollers 24 adapted to engage and rest upon the top of theball 18a of the rail 18.

As seen best in Fig. 3, the base leg 20 of the frame member 10 is formed adjacent a central portion thereof with a laterally and downwardly extending projection 25 which skirts the side of the rail 18. The skirting portion of the projection 25 is provided with a pair of horizontally spaced, preferably pointed bearing members 26 rigidly secured to the projection by nuts 26 and adapted to engage the side of the ball of the rail. The function of the bearing or abutment members 26 will be described more in detail presently.

In order to mount the framework 11, the end post sections 22 of the framemember 10 are each provided with an opening extending transversely therethrough and elongated in a vertical direction so as to form a vertically extending slot 28 (Figs. 1 and 2). The framework 11. comprises a pair of spaced parallel rods 30 (Figs. 1 and 3) which are mounted in the slots 28 in the frame member 10 for vertical adjustment. The rods extend transversely of the frame member and in a direction away therefrom. Adjacent the frame member 10, the rods 30 are rigidly connected by means of a transversely extending brace 31 (Fig. 1) formed at its opposite ends with collars 32 which may be secured on the rods 30 by means such as set screws not visible. At the ends of the rods 30 opposite from the brace 31, the rods are rigidly connected by a generally U-shaped handle 14 which may be secured to the rods telescopically, as illustrated, or which may be an integral part of the rods 30.

Adjacent the brace 31 and on the opposite side of the fname member 10 from the brace, the rods 30 are pro-' vided with the handle portions 13 previously referred to. The rods 30 may be of tubular formation, and the handles 13 include end portions 33 telescoped into the portions of the rods 30 which are fitted in the slots 28. The portions 33 of the handles may be rigidly secured to the rods 30 by means of theset screws previously referred to. Each of the portions 33 of the handles is, provided with collar 34 secured thereto and abutting the frame member 10 in opposition to the collars 32. The rods 30, the brace 31, and the handles 13 and 14 are thereby formed into a rigid framework for supporting the drill head 16.

The brace 31 abuts against the frame member 10 and the top with a rotatably mounted, axially restrained, screw threaded shaft 36 which extends downwardly therefrom. The shaft 36 is threaded into a central upstanding post 37 integral with the brace 31. The shaft 36 is provided at its upper end with a crank handle 38 which is action of the framework 11 relative to the frame member 10.

In order to provide for levelling the framework 11 when vertical adjustment is obtained by means of the screw shaft 36, each of the rods 30 is provided, adjacent the handle 14 with an adjustable ground engaging support 12. Each of the ground supports comprises a split bracket 40 which embraces the rod 30 and is rigidly clamped thereto by means of a tightening screw 41, Laterally offset from the rod 30 each of the brackets 40 includes a vertically disposed tubular section 42 which receives a vertically extending post support 43. The posts 43 are slidable in the tubular portions 42 and may be clamped in vertically adjusted positions by means of clamping screws 44 provided withhandles for manual operation. Each of the post supports .43 is provided at the bottom end with a ground engaging angle member 45 adapted to rest on the ground, the track'bed or ties. Thus, it will be seen that on vertical adjustment by means of the shaft 36, the frame '11 may be levelled by adjustment of the posts 43. The drill head may be provided with a suitable air bubble level tube 46 for indicating when the framework is level.

The drill housing or head 16 is provided at each of two opposite sides with a pair of laterally projecting arms 47 (Figs. 1 and 2) which terminate in tubular collars 48 slidable on the rods 30. The head 16 is thereby mounted for adjustment and for feeding movement in the direction of the length of rods 30.

The head 16 includes a rotatable spindle 50 (Figure 3) provided with suitable chuck means 51 for holding a drill bit such as that illustrated at 52, usually a fiat beaded bit for rail drilling. Rotation of the quill 50 is obtained by means of a drive motor mounted on the head 16, herein illustrated as a gasoline engine 54 (Fig. 1) which may be supplied with fuel from a tank 55 supported on the engine. The engine 54 has been omitted from Fig. 3. Power is transmitted from the engine 54 by means of its drive shaft 56 which is provided with a sprocket and chain drive 57 (Fig. 3) to an intermediate shaft 58 supported in the head 16. Power is transmitted from the shaft 58 to the spindle 50 by means of double chain and sprocket drives 59. The chains and sprockets are desirably enclosedby a chain guard G.

In the drill illustrated, power feed of thedrill head 16 is obtained from the power driven spindle 50. However, the details of this power feed of the head 16 form no part of the present invention, and will be described only generally herein. The power feed is described more in detail and claimed in my copending application filed November 19, 1956 as Serial No. 623,073.

Generally, power feed of the head 16 is obtained by means of a shaft 60 pinned in a depending portion 61 of the cross brace 31. The shaft 60 is formed with a screw threaded portion (not visible) projecting into the housing 16, and the housing is provided with a rotatably mounted sleeve threaded on the shaft 60 and held against axial movement in the housing. The sleeve (not visible) is rotated by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 61 actuated by cam means 62 provided on a shaft portion 63 projecting from the rear of the housing 16 and integral with the rotatable spindle 50. Thus, it will be seen that on rotation of the spindle 50, power feed of the head 16 toward the rail 18 may be obtained, the housing sliding along the rods 30.

The pawl and ratchet mechanism 61 may be disabled whenever desired and feed movement or withdrawal of the head obtained by means of a manually accessible crank handle 64 integral with the rotatable sleeve referred to.

The clamping mechanism previously referred to and generally designated 17 includes an elongated clamping bar or plate 66. The bar 66 is formed with a blocklike central portion 67 and vertically disposed elongated, generally fiat portions 68 and 69 extending in opposite directions therefrom. The upwardly extending portion 68 is provided with outer spaced reinforcing webs 68a (Figs. 2 and 3) and an inner central reinforcing web 68b (Fig. 3). The downwardly extending portion 69 is provided with spaced outer reinforcing webs 69a.

Near its upper end, the clamp bar 66 is engageable with the frame member 10, and adjacent its lower end is engageable with the web 18b of the rail 18. To To this end the frame member 10, at its upper end 18. To this end, the frame member 10, at its upper end is formed with a laterally projecting abutment part 70 (Fig. 3) and spaced reinforcing webs 70a which brace the abutment member 70. The outer edge of the extension 70 forms an abutment surface engageable with the upper end of the clamp member 66 and is formed with spaced guide lugs 71 for receiving the upper end of the clamp bar therebetween. The base leg 20 of the frame member 10 also includes a laterally projecting portion 72 formed with spaced guide lugs 73 which receive therebetween the block-like central portion 67 of the clamp bar 66. At its lower end, the clamp bar 66 is provided with spaced laterally projecting abutment parts 75. Inasmuch as the clamp bar 66 is vertically aligned with the drill bit 52, and the abutment members 75 are generally at about the level of the drill bit, the lugs are spaced apart by a sufficient amount to accommodate the drill bit 52 when it projects through the rail web 18b.

In order to mount the clamp bar 66 for clamping engagement with the frame member 21 and the rail and for release therefrom, the cross brace 31 connecting rods 30 is formed with a horizontally disposed post 77 (Figs. 1 and 3) positioned above the level of the rail and having threaded therein adjustably a horizontally disposed rod 78. The .rod 78 is thereby fixed in the framework 11 for adjustment in the direction of its length. The post 77 and the rod 78 project through a vertically elongated opening 79 provided in the central post section 21 of the frame member 10. The arrangement of the post 77 in the elongated opening 79 permits vertical adjustment of the cross brace 31 relative to the frame member 10, as previously described. The clamp bar 66 at the central block like portion 67 is also provided with a vertically elongated opening 81 through which the rod 78 projects. The clamp bar is thereby loosely mounted on the rod 78. The elongated slot 81 also permits the vertical adjustment previously referred to, in addition to providing further advantages described hereinafter. A spring 82 surrounds the post 77 and the rod 78 and bears against the frame member 10 and against the clamp bar 66 to normally urge the clamp bar away from the frame member 10.

In order to clamp the bar tightly against the frame member and the rail, the rod 78 is provided with a movably mounted lever arm having a cam for engagement with the clamp bar. To this end, the rod 78 carries a pivot block rotatable on the rod and provided with oppositely projecting trunnions 81. The cam lever comprises a yoke shaped lower portion having spaced depending legs 82 rigidly connected by a cross member 83. The depending legs 82 are pivotally mounted on the trunnions 81 for movement about an axis transverse to the axis of the rod 78. An elongated handle portion 85 is threadably secured in the cross member 83 to permit manual operation of the lever. The depending legs 82 each include a cam portion 87 engageable with the block like central portion 67 of the clamp bar 66. On movement of the lever arm in one direction (clockwise in Fig. 3) about the axis 81 the cams 87 engage the clamp bar to force it tightly against the frame member 10 and the rail 18. On movement of the lever in the opposite direction the cam bar 66 is quickly released. The pivot block 80 is retained on the rod 78 by means of a retaining nut 89 threaded on the rod 78 and hold in position by a set screw 90. The exterior of the nut 89 may be knurled to facilitate adjustment of the rod 78 in the post 77.

In operation, when the cam lever is moved to the position illustrated in the drawings, particularly Fig. 3, the depending abutment members 26 on the frame are drawn against one side of the ballof a'rail'. At the same time the clamp bar 66 is forced tightly against thelabutment member 70 of the frame 10, and tightly against the web of the rail. In this manner, the frame member 10, and therefore the framework 11 and drill head 16, are rigidly attached to the rail without the use of tools; Dur: ing feed of the drill head 16 when the drill bit engages the rail, there is a tendency for the drill head to back away from the rail and to rise. This undesirable tendency is opposed by the clamping mechanism described and the drill bit is effectively heldin the desired position.

The cam lever illustrated may be operated to quickly release the clamp bar 66 and thereby permit quick removal of the drill'from the rail and out of the path of an approaching train. This quick release also permits slidable movement of the entire rail drill along the length of the rail for repositioning the bit 52 to drill successive holes in spaced positions along the rail with a minimum of time and labor. 1

Also, when it is desired to withdraw the drill bit and completely remove the rail drill from the rail for use somewhere else, the pivot block 80 permits rotation of the cam lever on the rod 78 so that the lever may be flopped over to lie on one of the handles 13. The elongated slot 81 in the clamp bar 66 in addition to permitting the vertical adjustment described, also facilitates rotation of the clamp bar about the rod 78 and sliding movement of the clamp bar relative to the rod 78, so that when released the clamp bar may also be flopped over to lie on one of the handles 13. In this manner, no projecting parts are left below the level of the rail on one side so that the entire rail drill may be readily withdrawn and removed for use elsewhere. The spring 82 is effective to retain the clamp bar and cam lever in whatever positions they are placed.

I claim:

1. A rail drill, comprising, an upright drill supporting frame having support means positionable on the top of a rail at spaced positions along the rail to support the drill and laterally facing abutment means engageable with one side of the rail when the support means is positioned on the rail, a pair of spaced parallel rods extending laterally from the frame and vertically slidably mounted therein for adjustment, a brace rigidly connecting the rods adjacent the frame and vertically slidable against the frame for adjustment with the rods, manually operable screw means connected between the frame and the brace for vertically adjusting the rods and brace relative to the frame, ground engaging drill support means vertically adjusting on the rods at positions spaced from the brace to maintain the rods in level positions, a drill head slidable on the rods toward and away from the frame, a drill spindle rotatable in the head, drive means on the head for rotating the spindle, and clamping means carried by the brace and engageable with the frame and the rail for securely clamping the frame to the rail.

2. A portable rail drill for drilling a hole in the web of a rail, comprising, a frame member having support means adapted to rest on the top of a rail and laterally facing abutment means at one side thereof engageable with one side of the rail when the support means is rested on the rail, a framework vertically slidably mounted on the frame member at said one side thereof for vertical adjustment, a drill head mounted on the framework, a post on the framework extending laterally therefrom through an opening in the frame member to the opposite side of the frame member, a clamp bar loosely mounted on the post, said clamp bar having one end engageable with the frame member above the rail and an opposite end engageable with the web of the rail on the side of the rail opposite said abutment means, and a lever on the post having a cam engageable with 6 the clamp bar to force the bar tightly against the frame member and the rail web.

'3. A mail drill, comprising, means adapted to rest on the facing abutment means at one engageable with one side of means is rested on the rail, a said one side of the support spindle at-the level of the rail bit to drill the rail Web, and clamping mechanism for securing said frame to the rail including, a clamping bar loosely supported on the frame at the opposite side of the support means for engagement with the frame at a position spaced abovethe level of the rail and for engagement with the web of the rail at the side opposite said abutment means and drill head, and means acting between the frame and the clamping bar for forcing the clamping bar tightly against the frame and the rail web.

4. A portable rail drill, comprising, a frame including an uprightsupport having spaced rollers engageable with the top of a .lengthof rail and spaced lugs at one side of the rollers for engagement with one side of the rail, a drill head on the frame at said one side of the rollers, an abutment on said support projecting laterally to the opposite side of the rollers, spaced guide flanges on the abutment and on said support, a post on the frame projecting laterally away from said drill head to said opposite side of the rollers, a clamp bar loosely mounted on the post and positionable within the guide flanges, the clamp bar being engageable adjacent its upper end with said abutment and having adjacent its lower end -a lateral projection engageable with the web of the rail on the side of the rail opposite said lugs, and means on the post engageable with the clamp bar to clamp the bar tightly against the abutment member and the rail web.

5. A portable rail drill for drilling a hole in the web of a rail, comprising, a frame including support means positionable on the top of a length of rail and laterally facing abutment means adapted to engage one side of the ball of the rail when the support means is positioned on the rail, a drill head on the frame at said one side of the rail, a rotatable spindle on the drill head at the level of the rail bed for supporting a drill bit to drill the rail Web, a laterally projecting post longitudinally adjustable in the frame and extending to the opposite side of the rail, a clamp plate loosely mounted on the post for engagement adjacent its upper end with said support above the level of the rail and for engagement adjacent its lower end with the web of the rail on the side opposite the abutment means and drill head, a spring surrounding the post and bearing against said support and said clamp plate, and a lever arm pivoted on said post and having a cam engageable with said clamp plate in opposition to the spring to clamp the plate tightly against said support and rail web on pivotal movement of the lever in one direction and effective to quickly release the clamp plate on movement of the lever in the opposite direction.

6. A portable rail drill, comprising, a support adapted to rest on the top of a rail and abutment means engageable with one side of the rail, a drill head on the frame at said one side of the rail, a post in the frame adjacent said support and extending laterally therefrom to the opposite side of the rail, an elongated clamp bar having an opening therethrough elongated in the direction of the length of said bar and through which said post projects loosely, said clamp bar being engageable with said support above the level of the rail and engageable with the web of the rail at the side 0pposite said abutment means, a pivot block rotatable on the post beyond the clamp bar, and a lever arm pivoted on the pivot block on an axis normal to the post axis and having a cam engageable with the clamp bar to clamp a frame having support top of a rail and laterally side of the support means the rail when the support drill head on the frame at means having a rotatable web for supporting a drill a frame having the bar against said support and rail web on pivotal movement of the arm in one direction and effective to release the clamp bar-on movement in the opposite direction.

7. A portable rail drill, comprising, a frame having an upright support adapted to rest on the top of a rail and having an abutment to engage one side of the rail, a drill head on the frame at said one side of the rail, a pair of spaced handles secured in said frame and extending laterally to the opposite side of the rail, a post in the frame adjacent said support, between said handles, above said abutment and extending in a direction away from the drill head to said opposite side of the rail, an elongated clamp bar having an opening theretln'ough elongated in the direction of the length of said bar and through which said post projects, a spring surrounding said post and bearing against said support and said clamp bar to normally urge the clamp bar away from said support, said clamp bar being engageable with said support above the level of the rail and engageable with the rail web, a pivot block rotatable on the post beyond the clamp bar, and a lever arm pivoted on the pivot block on an axis normal to the post axis and having a cam engageable with the clamp bar to clamp the bar against said support and rail on pivotal movement of the arm in one direction and effective to release the clamp bar on movement in the opposite direction, said pivot block mounting of said lever arm permitting rotation of the lever on the post on release of said clamp bar to lay the lever arm over one of said handles, and said elongated slot in said clamp bar permitting rotation and sliding movement of the clamp bar relative to said post on release of the clamp bar to also lay the bar over on one of said handles, and said spring being eflective to retain said lever arm and clamp bar in said last named positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 415,780 Higley Nov. 26, 1889 1,126,313 Sturdevant et a1. Jan. 26, 1915 1,966,836 Talboys July 17, 1934 2,203,415 Lavarack et al June 4, 1940 I 2,632,342 Talboys et al. Mar. 24, 1953 

